When Shaquille O'Neal was a rookie, way, way back in 1992-93, I traded for him in a fantasy league. Well, obviously I didn't deal for him in real life, so it had to be fantasy. Anyway, my team was rolling along among the top three or four in the league at the time, and I needed the scoring, rebounding and field-goal percentage, plus it was a keeper league and my only center was, I think, Pervis Ellison, who couldn't and wouldn't stay healthy. I didn't win that season, but I did well and held Shaq's rights for the following season.
The following season, however, I didn't fare as well. Let's see, I was good in scoring, rebounding, won field-goal percentage and had blocks ... oh, there it is, that nasty free-throw percentage. I was last there, and ultimately it cost me a money spot. I dealt Shaq for whatever I could the next offseason.
Someone in one of my leagues might be able to refute this, but to my knowledge, I never owned O'Neal again until a month ago, when he was my last-round pick in an ESPN league with fantasy experts from our staff. I'm not a fan of Shaq's in fantasy anymore, but shouldn't the guy have been drafted somewhere? I got him after the top 100, my final selection. What a steal!
To continue reading this article you must be an Insider
Eric Karabell
